Montreal organized crime group is stealing dozens of cars in GTA, police allege

Peel police detectives are planning a trip to Montreal in the near future, but it's not for pleasure. They're mountinga major operationto slow awave of car thefts and they're hoping their counterparts in Quebec's largest citycan help them.

Since October, more than 80 SUVsmainly Lexus and Toyota modelshave been stolen in Peel Region.

Toronto police say car thefts have spiked by25 per centyear-over-year in the city, an increase Supt.Ron Taverner calls "significant." The vehicles most targetedby thieves in Toronto include BMWs, Toyota Highlanders and other high-end models, investigators say.

"We believe that a lot of those vehicles are being shipped offshore.They end up in many different countries, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and they bring asignificantlyhigher value over there," Taverner said.

Thieves are often snatching these luxury vehiclesfrom their owners' driveways using electronic key technology.

Det.Greg ShrivellofPeel Regional Police says the evidence suggestsmost cases could be linked to organized crime inQuebec.

He says their work is now "focused on people coming from Montrealto steal vehicles and bring them backtothe Montreal port to be shipped."

On Nov.22, fourmen between the ages of 17 and 21 were arrested as they were attempting to steal a Lexus in Mississauga. Peel police allege thegroup was travelling in a car with a Quebec license plate and they had several empty key fobs.

Investigators believe they were expecting to leave with sevenstolen vehicles.

Other suspects have been identified, according to Shrivell.

"We want to collaborate with the Montreal police," Shrivell said, "and put an intervention plan in place."

Montreal police 'constantly collaborating' with other forces

Montreal police declined aninterview request from CBC News. But in a written statement, a spokesperson says police there are'constantly collaborating with different police forces to eliminate crime. Such collaboration between police forces is a key to our success."

Shrivell says Peelpolice are planning a three-stageintervention.

First, officers and detectives are hoping to identify and intercept thieves before they can move the vehicles out of the province.

Second, policehave launched a campaign on social media and are planning a town hall meeting this monthto warn owners of themakes and models that are most often stolen.

Protecting your car

In a news release, Peel police are asking those owners to take as many precautions as they can to protect their cars.

Those measures include:

• Parking them in a garage when possible or behind a less appealing car in their driveway.
• Storing their electronic keys toprevent passersby from copying them.
• Using old fashioned steering wheel locking bars todiscourage thieves from targeting their cars.

Finally, they are hoping to speak with the accused and their families and provide resources to steer them away from organized crime groups.

"They are young, they live at home, so we hope to possibly curb any future interest,"Shrivell said.

Toronto police are also collaborating with the Canada Border Services Agencyto intercept as many of these cars before they are shipped overseas.

"We know certain containers are being used and we make sure those containers are being targeted for looking into," Taverner said.

'It was very frustrating,' victim says

Mississauga resident Paul Cheemais just one of many GTA residents victimized by car thieves.

He installed video surveillance cameras on his property after his Lexus was stolen, but that didn't stop the thieves from striking again.

One of his cameras caught the second theft but thatdidn't make the experience any less painful.

"It was very frustrating. I had personal belongings inside the car too."

A few days after he reported his carstolen, hereceived a notice from the Toronto police. His car had been illegally parked for over threehours in Etobicoke, less than 20 kilometresaway from where it was stolen.

He says it was very disappointing to see that police services from Peel and Toronto had not exchanged information about the theft,ticketed the vehicle and did not bring it back.

The $42parking ticket was later dismissed.

He is now on the market for another car, possibly another Lexus. He hopes the GPS technology on the newer model will protect his vehicle.